SC seeks details
on Chandigarh plot allotteesNew Delhi, September 15The Supreme Court today sought details from
the Chandigarh Administration about allottees given plots for building
commercial complexes and residential houses in certain sectors of the union
territory, payments received by it from them and civic amenities provided in the
built-up areas.

New Delhi, September 15The political fight between Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and Nationalist Congress Party leader V. C. Shukla
today reached the Supreme Court as the latter sought a CBI probe into the
alleged acts of “omission and commission” by Mr Jogi, including the murder
of party treasurer Avtar Jaggi in June.

States rapped for
going slow on
fast-track courtsNew Delhi, September 15The Supreme Court today pulled up
the governments of various states for failing to establish fast-track
courts to lessen the burden of pending cases, despite the funds being
made available to them in advance by the Centre.

Prime Minister
Atal Bihari Vajpayee with children of Cancer Patient Aid
Association at his residence in New Delhi on Monday.
— PTI

Bhutanese King
wants talks with militantsNew Delhi, September 15Observing that Bhutan considers India as
its closest neighbour and friend, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk today hoped that
the militancy problem in his country would be resolved peacefully through a
process of dialogue and militant camps inside Bhutan removed. King Wangchuk, on
a five-day state visit, told reporters at Rashtrapati Bhavan after
being accorded a ceremonial reception that he had invited militants
operating in the north-eastern states from Bhutanese soil for a
dialogue to resolve the insurgency problem.
In video (28k, 56k)
President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam greets Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuk at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.
— Reuters photo

Kanshi Ram suffers
brainstrokeHyderabad, September 15
BSP leader Kanshi Ram was today admitted to a hospital here following a brainstroke. His condition is stated to be stable.
Mr Kanshi Ram, who was here to participate in a party programme, suffered cerebral stroke in the morning and was immediately rushed to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), hospital, sources said.
— PTI

BSP President Kanshi Ram at NIMS hospital in Hyderabad
on Monday following a brainstroke.
— PTI photo

New Delhi, September 15India today took strong exception to the
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister’s reported statement on assassination of
President Yasser Arafat being an option and advised Israel to make sincere
efforts “to address the malaise itself”.

Cong, CPI flay
Israeli threat to ArafatNew Delhi, September 15Calling upon the Centre to protest against the Israel’s threat to “expel or kill” Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Congress and the CPI said today that the threat was in contravention of all norms and international conduct.

EC reviews poll
preparationsNew Delhi, September 15The Election Commission today reviewed the
election preparedness in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and
Mizoram, where Assembly elections are due later this year, and directed the
Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of these states to ensure accurate and
defect-free electoral rolls.
In video
(28k,
56k)

New Delhi, September 15The Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
governments have been asked by Union Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh to
immediately send their proposals for claiming the Rs 678-crore grant announced
by the Cabinet for sugarcane farmers.

Thespian Dilip Kumar offers birthday cake
to veteran film
maker G. P. Sippy whose 98th birthday was celebrated at the
''Locations 2003", organised by Chhattisgarh Tourism Board to
promote Chhattisgarh as a film destiny. Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and
filmmaker Ramesh Sippi are also seen in the picture.
— PTI

India's first girl's band VIVA perform in Ahmedabad
on Sunday.
— Reuters

Lucknow, September 15Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Mayawati today ruled out the possibility of any tie-up between the BSP and the
Congress for the coming Assembly elections in four states and said the
possibility of an alliance with the BJP can be explored again if it rectified
its mistakes.

New Delhi, September 15With Assembly elections around the corner
in five North-Indian states, BJP President Venkaiah Naidu has asked the
party’s Central ministers to spend two days in these states to propagate the
“good work” done by the Vajpayee government.

New Delhi, September 15The Army said today that there was turmoil
in the terrorist ranks in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of
Jaish-e-Mohammad commander Gazi Baba and due to the loss in confidence the
militants were trying to carry out killings in the state.

New Delhi, September 15After the joint exercises in the tough
terrain of Leh, India and the USA will hold the biggest-ever joint naval
exercises off the Kochi coast, in which for the first time an American nuclear
submarine is to take part.

Videos

Preparations
in Kolkata are on in full swing for the upcoming Durga Puja
festival.(28k,
56k)

Subhash
Ghai's "Joggers' Park" paves way for the
introduction of unconventional films.(28k,
56k)

New Delhi, September 15
The Supreme Court today sought details from the Chandigarh Administration about allottees given plots for building commercial complexes and residential houses in certain sectors of the union territory, payments received by it from them and civic amenities provided in the built-up areas.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice V.N. Khare and Mr Justice S B Singh issued the direction while hearing an appeal against the Punjab and Haryana High Court order, directing the Chandigarh Administration to provide the plot holders basic facilities like electricity, water and sewerage connections despite a majority of them failing to make the payment as per the lease deeds.

The court directed UT Administration counsel Kamini Jaiswal to submit the details within four weeks in the form of a chart, making it clear in which area civic amenities had been provided, where these were yet to be made available and the total payment received by the government from each plot holder.

Jaiswal told the court that the high court, in its order, had held that the Administration would not be entitled to charge interest on account of the delay in making the payment of the instalments due by the allottees and on the outstanding ground rent if they paid it in three months from the date of providing the civic amenities.

The high court
direction was contrary to the contractual liabilities between the UT Administration and the allottees as well as its own judgement given earlier in an identical matter, she alleged.

The government counsel said power, sewerage and water connections had been provided to the allottees, who not only had raised double-storeyed buildings, but many among them had given those on rent.

As per the conditions laid down by the UT Administration while making allotments, 25 per cent of the total amount was to be paid as premium and 75 per cent within 30 days from the date of auction, or in three equal instalments if they were ready to pay 10 per cent interest on it, the appeal said.

The first instalment was to be payable after one year from the date of auction and if the instalments of the premium and the ground rent were not paid on the due date, interest at the rate of 24 per cent was to be charged from the plot holders as per the contract, it said.

A Bench comprising Mr Justice
R.C. Lahoti and Mr Justice Ashok Bhan while disposing of an appeal filed by the Himachal Pradesh Government against the High Court’s June 11 order, gave liberty to the state to again approach the High Court for an appropriate remedy, if it felt aggrieved by the bail order.

The state government had sought cancellation of the bail on the ground that Mr Katwal’s “custodial interrogation” was necessary to unearth the whole conspiracy and role of some other persons allegedly involved in the appointment of teachers on the receipt of gratification.

However, the apex court said the High Court had in its order allowed the HP police to interrogate the accused in its custody for three days before his release on bail.

Senior advocate
V.R. Reddy, appearing for the state along with HP Additional Advocate-General
(AAG) J.S. Attri, contended that during the three-day custody allowed by the High Court, the accused had tried to “stonewall” the probe by saying that he was not in sound frame of mind to answer the questions put to him. The Bench said in that case state government could move the High Court again.

The Congress government had registered two FIRs against Mr Katwal soon after it took over from the BJP this year accusing him of gross irregularities in the appointments of “Vidya Upasaks (primary schoolteachers engaged on a consolidated salary) and Trained Graduate Teachers
(TGTs).

Mr Katwal, a retired IAS officer, was considered close to former BJP Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, who had appointed him chairman of the
HPSSSB.

HP Government counsel said the custodial interrogation did not mean “using third degree” methods against him but it was necessary to confront him with certain documents.

“He had tampered with the interview results of some candidates and their marks were raised from 10 to 18. The investigating agency had at least detected eight cases where appointments were made for the payment of money,” the government counsel said.

New Delhi, September 15
The political fight between Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and Nationalist Congress Party leader V. C. Shukla today reached the Supreme Court as the latter sought a CBI probe into the alleged acts of “omission and commission” by Mr
Jogi, including the murder of party treasurer Avtar Jaggi in June.

However, a Bench, comprising the Chief Justice Mr
V.N. Khare and Mr Justice S.B. Sinha, was not satisfied with the way the petition was drafted and directed Mr Shukla to amend it within four weeks.

The court said the petition looked like a “charge sheet” against the Chief Minister and the manner it was drafted “it appeared to be an attempt to wash dirty linen” in the court.

Mr Jogi’s counsel Harish Salve opposed the petition stating that that a similar writ petition was also pending before the Chhattisgarh High Court.

Mr Shukla had mentioned 35 cases of alleged scandal against Mr
Jogi, including the alleged attack on him on March 7 at the behest of Mr Jogi’s son, Amit
Jogi, and the murder case of the NCP’s treasurer Avtar Jaggi on June 3.

New Delhi, September 15
The Supreme Court today pulled up the governments of various states for failing to establish fast-track courts to lessen the burden of pending cases, despite the funds being made available to them in advance by the Centre.

Giving the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Goa, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal six weeks’ time to take corrective measures, a Bench comprising Chief Justice
V.N. Khare and Mr Justice S.B. Sinha warned the officials concerned in the states that they should be ready to face the consequences if no corrective measures were taken during this period.

The court said another unfortunate thing was that the state governments and the respective high courts were putting the blame on each other rather than coordinating to improve the things.

The court also sought details from the state governments about the volume of work done by the fasttrack courts so far and cases disposed by them.

New Delhi, September 15
Observing that Bhutan considers India as its closest neighbour and friend, King Jigme Singye Wangchuk today hoped that the militancy problem in his country would be resolved peacefully through a process of dialogue and militant camps inside Bhutan removed.

King Wangchuk, on a five-day state visit, told reporters at Rashtrapati Bhavan after being accorded a ceremonial reception that he had invited militants operating in the north-eastern states from Bhutanese soil for a dialogue to resolve the insurgency problem.

“I have written to the representatives of these organisations to come to Thimpu so that this issue can be resolved through dialogue,” he said. The ceremonial welcome for him was shifted indoors due to a downpour.

The Bhutanese King said the National Assembly of Bhutan had last month taken a decision to invite the leaders of the ULFA, the National Democratic Front for Bodoland (NDFB) and the Kuki Liberation Organisation (KLO) from Assam and West Bengal to come for talks to Thimpu.

A Bhutanese Embassy statement here said the King expressed the hope that “the problem could be resolved peacefully through a process of dialogue, namely by removing the militant camps which have been illegally and forcibly established by the militants inside Bhutan”. There are about two such camps inside Bhutan at present.

The King said it was important to understand that the Government of India and Bhutan had been working closely and making every effort to resolve the militant problem over the past few years.

The Bhutanese King said he had “good” discussions last night with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior officials.

External Affairs Minister Yeshwant Sinha called on the King for an exchange of views on issues of mutual interest.

The King, who is leading a high-power delegation, was received at Reshtrapati Bhavan by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Mr Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, Mr Sinha and senior officials and diplomats.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 15
India today took strong exception to the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister’s reported statement on assassination of President Yasser Arafat being an option and advised Israel to make sincere efforts “to address the malaise itself”.

In response to a question from this correspondent, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said: “We note that the reported statement injects greater stridency in Israeli pronouncements during the past few days. India, which has consistently regarded President Arafat as the elected leader of the Palestinian people and symbol of their cause, cannot but take a strong exception to such statements.

“We firmly believe that instead of dealing with symptoms through such actions, sincere efforts must be made to address the malaise itself,” the Foreign Secretary said.

New Delhi, September 15
Calling upon the Centre to protest against the Israel’s threat to “expel or kill” Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Congress and the CPI said today that the threat was in contravention of all norms and international conduct.

In a statement, CPI central secretariat said it was unfortunate that the government, which hosted Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last week, had made a feeble protest against the threat.

The CPI said the current threat of expulsion or execution was a clear attempt to impose Israeli dictates on the Palestinian people and no country had a right to impose its will on who should lead another nation. “The threat is in clear violation of international laws and the UN Charter,” it said.

Warning Israel against making any attempt to eliminate Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, the Congress said today that this would have “disastrous consequences.”

Congress chief spokes-man S. Jaipal Reddy said Mr Arafat was not only the head of the Palestinian state, but an acclaimed world leader.

New Delhi, September 15
The Election Commission today reviewed the election preparedness in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram, where Assembly elections are due later this year, and directed the Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of these states to ensure accurate and defect-free electoral rolls.

The three-member commission, however, stopped short of announcing the election schedule for these states and decided to announce it in ‘due course.’

At a review meeting here at the Nirvachan Sadan, Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh, along with Election Commissioners T S Krishnamurthy and B B Tandon, and other senior officials laid a special emphasis on the need to ensure accurate and defect-free electoral rolls.

The Election Commission panel also reviewed the status of the electoral photo identity cards, requirement of electronic voting machines and Central Paramilitary Forces.

It also laid focus on identifying location of the polling stations in these states and the requirement of the observers during the elections.

The meeting decided to identify in advance Election Observers, of repute, for deployment in these states during campaign period and on the date of polls, sources said.

Earlier, the Chief Electoral Officers appraised the Election Commission panel about the state of electoral preparations pertaining to their respective states, in the presence of senior Election Commission officials.

The CEC would shortly hold meeting with the Union Home Ministry about the availability of adequate para-military forces for these states, before announcing the poll schedule, sources said, adding the commission was toying with the idea of holding the polls sometime in the third week of November, 2003.

If adequate Central forces were available, then the commission would go for poll on a single day in all five states, sources added.

The terms of the current legislative Assemblies in Mizoram, Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were expiring on or before January 31, 2004.

New Delhi, September 15
The Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh governments have been asked by Union Agriculture Minister Rajnath Singh to immediately send their proposals for claiming the Rs 678-crore grant announced by the Cabinet for sugarcane farmers.

Mr Rajnath Singh’s move, however, has placed the state governments in a piquant situation as any failure to respond would evoke a strong reaction from the debt-ridden sugarcane farmers. However, acceptance of the relief could cost the state governments dearly as the Cabinet proposal has several riders.

The Cabinet proposal said the assistance was limited to the arrears for the 2002-03 season and would be contingent upon the condition that the state governments would not declare the state advised prices and would withdraw the pending special leave petitions in the Supreme Court, which they had filed against the judgement of the Allahabad High Court in 1997 striking down the state advised prices.

In a letter to the chief ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the Union Minister said since the crop for the next season was being sown now, it was time for the state governments to send proposals for claiming the supplementary grant announced by the Centre.

Mr Rajnath Singh said the communication sent to the chief secretaries of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Bihar have not yet evoked any response.

Lucknow, September 15
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today ruled out the possibility of any tie-up between the BSP and the Congress for the coming Assembly elections in four states and said the possibility of an alliance with the BJP can be explored again if it rectified its mistakes.

Addressing a press conference, Ms Mayawati, who is also BSP Vice-President, dismissed as mere speculation reports that there would be a tie-up between the BSP and the Congress for the Assembly poll in four states.

The BSP Vice-President, however, said if Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav tendered an “apology” for the guest house incident of June 2, 1995, when Samajwadi Party leaders had assaulted her and came out of the shackles of Manuwadis, “I could forgive him.”

She warned of bloodshed in Uttar Pradesh if any attempt was made to demolish the statues of Dalit icons established during her regime.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 15
With Assembly elections around the corner in five North-Indian states, BJP President Venkaiah Naidu has asked the party’s Central ministers to spend two days in these states to propagate the “good work” done by the Vajpayee government.

At a meeting with the party ministers in the NDA government, including Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, the party president asked them to spare two days from September 25 till October 2 for the purpose. The four-hour meeting, attended by 43 BJP ministers, reviewed the projects undertaken by various ministries, especially in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Delhi, where Assembly elections are slated for later this year.

It was decided that the BJP ministers would tour these states and highlight various Central schemes.

New Delhi, September 15
The Army said today that there was turmoil in the terrorist ranks in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of Jaish-e-Mohammad commander Gazi Baba and due to the loss in confidence the militants were trying to carry out killings in the state.

With the terrorists coming
overground, the Army has also achieved major successes over the past fortnight, leading to the killing of more than 70 militants.

“There is turmoil in the terrorist ranks and this loss of confidence in leadership is making them to come overground with
fidayeen-style attacks” Maj-Gen D.H. Summanwar, Army’s Additional Director-General (Public Information) said here today.

“This suits the Army. We are more than prepared to take them on” General Summanwar told newspersons.

New Delhi, September 15
After the joint exercises in the tough terrain of
Leh, India and the USA will hold the biggest-ever joint naval exercises off the Kochi coast, in which for the first time an American nuclear submarine is to take part.

The exercises in the Arabian Sea, which are expected to further bolster the Indo-US military relations, will also see two US Perry-class destroyers, and P3C Orion long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft taking part.

From the Indian side, two Russian-acquired
Kashin-class missile destroyers, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) Kamov helicopters and Il-54 reconnaissance aircraft will take part.

The five-day exercises, commencing on October 2, will be the sixth of the ‘Malabar’ series that were revived last year after an interval of nearly four years.

BRIEFLY

200 hospitalised for food poisoning
Kolkata: Over 200 persons were admitted to a state-run infectious diseases hospital here with food poisoning symptoms since Sunday evening, hospital sources said. They said altogether 202 persons, including 109 men, 72 women and 21 children, were admitted to the hospital after they consumed “biryani” at a blood donation camp organised by a club near Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport at Dumdum in North 24 Pargana district.
— PTI

Residents torch police checkpost
Patna: A businessman was shot at and seriously injured in the Rajabazar area of the city on Monday morning, triggering public protest with local residents setting a police checkpost ablaze. The incident occurred near the Dumra checkpost when businessman Abhay Kumar, the owner of an
electrical goods shop, was going to the airport on a motorcycle when two youths, riding in another two-wheeler, opened fire at him. Irate local residents then torched a part of the checkpost and chased away the policemen.
— PTI

Villager killed in clash with dacoits
Ahmedabad: One person was killed and several sustained minor injuries when residents of Bandibaar village in tribal-dominated Dahod district of eastern Gujarat clashed with a gang of dacoits from a neighbouring village, a senior police official said on Monday. A gang of 10-15 dacoits attacked residents of Bandibaar and tried to decamp with cash and animals late on Sunday night, Dahod District Superintendent of Police S.G. Bhati said. In the ensuing clash, one villager was killed when one of the dacoits fired at him from a .12-bore revolver.
— PTI

Ahmadi appointed AMU Chancellor
Aligarh: Former Chief Justice of India A.M. Ahmadi has been appointed the Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). A formal decision to this effect was taken at a special meeting of the AMU Court.
— PTI